Salvation to all people
Titus 2:11-12 - Grace is the teacher of obedience.
'For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, '
Titus 2:11-12
Paul’s epistle to Titus is not one of the major books of the New Testament. It is short — just three chapters consisting of 46 verses — and somewhat similar to 1 and 2 Timothy in both its style and content.
Titus is first mentioned in Galatians, where he traveled with Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem. Next, he was sent to Corinth, Greece to mend relations between the church there and its founder (Paul). Traveling with Paul, Titus was left on the island of Crete to organize the church there and later met back up with Paul in Nicopolis, Greece. This epistle was apparently written to Titus during his sojourn in Crete in 66-67 AD.
This epistle (and the letters to Timothy) are referred to as pastoral epistles, as they were written to individuals who were pastors at early churches and provided counsel on Christian living, doctrine, and leadership. In the case of the epistle to Titus, Paul was describing his views on the responsibilities of presbyters (Christian clergy) and bishops.
19th century British theologian Adam Clarke said of the second chapter of Titus:
“FEW portions of the New Testament excel this chapter. It may well form the creed, system of ethics, and text book of every Christian preacher. Does any man inquire what is the duty of a Gospel minister? Send him to the second chapter of the Epistle to Titus for a complete answer.” 1
I wonder if the seminaries of today even look at Titus 2?
Today’s verses are short and to the point. In Titus 2:11, Paul beautifully describes the place of God’s grace in the life of the Christian. He notes that God offers salvation to all — it is up to the individual to receive that salvation. Salvation is made available to all people — all mankind finds salvation solely by the grace of God.
Titus 2:12 (along with verse 13) is instructive in telling the reader what grace teaches us: “to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age”.
Saying “No to ungodliness and worldly passions” means renouncing these things once and for all, not just for a weekend or the Lenten season. Spurgeon had an apt comment regarding young men and their sins, but it is applicable to sinners of either sex and any age:
“The most difficult part of the training of young men is not to put the right thing into them, but to get the wrong thing out of them.”2
and David Guzik of Enduring Word said:
One may say that in a world where we are tempted to say “Yes” to every desire and feelings, that the reality of our faith can be demonstrated by what we say no to, by what we are willing to deny.
Our problem as sinners is that we say we’ll give up worldly passions, but usually don’t. Our solution as Christians is to do our best to deny those passions, and ask our Lord for forgiveness when we’re inevitably weak.
God’s grace teaches us one more important lesson, “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Grace is the teacher of obedience. When you understand the eternal value of the priceless gift you have received from God, it should make you reconsider your lifestyle! From Spurgeon once again,
“Wherever the grace of God comes effectually, it makes the loose liver deny the desires of the flesh; it causes the man who lusted after gold to conquer his greediness; it brings the proud man away from his ambitions; it trains the idler to diligence, and it sobers the wanton mind which cared only for the frivolities of life. Not only do we leave these lusts, but we deny them.”3
Many thanks to Paul for teaching this lesson to Titus, and to countless other Christians over the past 2,000 years.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer is taken from Knowing Jesus:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the important instructions I receive from Your holy Word, as I progress through the college of Christian living. I pray that I may deny ungodliness and disengage myself from any worldly pursuits or fleshly attitudes. May I diligently seek to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in this present age. This I ask in Jesus' name and for His greater praise and glory, AMEN.
Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.
Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author
Clarke, Adam "Clarke's Commentary: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments with a Commentary and Critical Notes" Volume 6 (Romans-Revelation) (New York: Eaton and Mains, 1832)
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon "The New Park Street Pulpit" Volumes 1-6 and "The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit" Volumes 7-63 (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1990)
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon "The New Park Street Pulpit" Volumes 1-6 and "The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit" Volumes 7-63 (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1990)